


Locked Up

by Campion



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Asexuality, Bisexual Character, Bisexuality, Demiromantic Character, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, I'm so sorry, KuroKen - Freeform, M/M, Other, Rape, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 08:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7040227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Campion/pseuds/Campion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kozume Kenma and Kuroo Tetsurou have known each other for a long time.</p>
<p>In 4th grade, Kuroo met a small boy named Kenma.  He didn’t shy away from Kuroo like the girls did, who cowered before his height and confrontational mannerisms.</p>
<p>By 5th grade, Kuroo and Kenma were best friends.  Close enough that Kuroo felt comfortable enough to finally ask a question that had plagued him since they’d met.</p>
<p>In 6th grade, Kuroo found Kenma surrounded by a group of snickering guys from Kenma’s class.</p>
<p>In 7th grade, Kuroo and Kenma were finally able to play on the school volleyball team together.  Kuroo and Kenma usually walked part of the way home together, but Kenma was being forced to run extra laps after practice nearly every day.</p>
<p>By 8th grade, Kuroo, the captain of the volleyball team, knew that he was in love with his best friend.</p>
<p>And then comes high school.</p>
<p>Aka: The history of my sad headcanon of Kenma and Kuroo's relationship.  I'm sorry it's so painful.  Don't read if you don't want these babies hurt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 4th Grade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In 4th grade, Kuroo met a small boy named Kenma. He didn’t shy away from Kuroo like the girls did, who cowered before his height and confrontational mannerisms. And yet, he didn’t brag or try to compete with him either, like the other boys did. When Kuroo approached him at recess that day, the boy didn’t even bother to lift his head from the book he was reading until Kuroo took the book from his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I don't really know why, but I've suddenly become a little obsessed with KuroKen. And with messing with Kenma's sexuality. XD And with causing these babies pain, which I am deeply sorry for but do not regret.
> 
> Also, I know that they've known each other for longer than 4th grade, but oh well =/ Sorry about messing with that!
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

In 4th grade, Kuroo met a small boy named Kenma.He didn’t shy away from Kuroo like the girls did, who cowered before his height and confrontational mannerisms.And yet, he didn’t brag or try to compete with him either, like the other boys did.When Kuroo approached him at recess that day, the boy didn’t even bother to lift his head from the book he was reading until Kuroo took the book from his hands.

“Whatchya readin’?”Kuroo asked, not really interested in the response but definitely interested in the boy.

“Book about sports.Can I have it back please?”

Kuroo looked at the other child quizzically.“Why read about sports when you can play them?”

Rather than an answer, he received a lopsided shrug, and an extended hand which reinforced the smaller boy’s initial request.

“Heh.Ya want your book back, huh?”The nasty smirk that made both boys and girls cower without fail suddenly masked Kuroo’s face.“Well, you’re gonna have to pay for it!”

Still, the kid didn’t flinch.Instead, he stood up, and mumbling that Kuroo could keep it, started walking away.

“Hey!Wait!”It was easy for Kuroo to catch up, and he quickly moved to block the pathway back to the school.He found himself looking straight into two very quiet, very serious, and slightly scary golden brown eyes.Then, before he knew it, he was speaking.“Look, ‘m sorry.Didn’t mean for it to sound like that.I just wanted…”He paused, because though he knew what he had been about to say, he wasn’t sure that it was truly what he wanted.And, though he didn’t really understand it himself, then he was.“I just wanted to know your name.That’s the payment.That’s all.”

“My name?”The boy’s head tilted slightly sideways, and Kuroo held out his hand.The one without the book in it.

“I’m Kuroo Tetsuro.”

“Kenma.”Kuroo waited for Kenma to shake his hand but to no avail.Embarrassed to be left hanging, he shoved his hand toward the other boy, who jumped backwards about three feet.

“What?Is there something wrong with my hand?”He asked roughly, only regretting his tone when Kenma ducked his head and looked, for the first time like he wanted to run.

“I… I don’t shake hands.I don’t really… like touching others.I’m sorry.”

Kurt pulled his hand back, curious, but sensing that this was a topic in which he should not pry to harshly.“That’s okay!”He said, but the other boy was already gone.

“See you tomorrow,” he mumbled.

He didn’t see the boy the next day, nor the one after that, and then it was a weekend.It wasn’t until Monday that Kuroo saw Kenma again.When he did, he was ecstatic.

“Kenma!”Kuroo shouted when he saw Kenma sitting alone, reading, at recess again.“Hey, Kenma, where’ve ya been?”

The smaller boy ducked his head.Kuroo couldn’t help but feel a bit hurt.

“Did ya forget about me already?”

A slight shake of the head.

“Did… Did I scare ya after all?”Kuroo felt a nasty sort of mood creeping up on him, and he wondered briefly if he’d been hoping for this kid to be his friend more than he’d realized.He wondered if he was lonely.And then he decided that he didn’t want that to be true, so he stopped wondering, and sneered.“Are you a scaredy-cat, too, Kenma?”

“Yes.”

“You-“

“But not of you,” Kenma sighed.“Anyway, what do you want, Kuroo?”

“I just, uh,” Kuroo paused, suddenly uncertain.Then he sat down.“Can I sit here?”

Kenma stared at him momentarily and then nodded.They spent the rest of recess reading Kenma’s new book, about sports again, but this time, about volleyball.Well, they spend half of recess reading, and then Kuroo leaned in a bit too close and bumped into Kenma’s arm.The smaller boy flinched, just the slightest bit, and Kuroo spent the rest of recess wondering if perhaps Kenma had fallen down the stairs.

The next day, Kuroo brought a volleyball.Kenma looked at him with wide eyes.

“Where did you get that?”

“Home.My dad bought it for me.He’ll get me anything that will get me out of the house,” Kuroo grinned mischievously.Something raw and complicated flashed in Kenma’s eyes, but it was gone quickly, so Kuroo ignored it.He didn’t want to bother right now, anyway.

“Hey, Kenma, wanna play?”

A nod.


	2. 5th Grade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> By 5th grade, Kuroo and Kenma were best friends. Close enough, after a year of sweating together, training together, and playing a sport they both loved together, that Kuroo felt comfortable enough to finally ask a question that had plagued him since they’d met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one's so short! It's important, though!

By 5th grade, Kuroo and Kenma were best friends.Close enough, after a year of sweating together, training together, and playing a sport they both loved together, that Kuroo felt comfortable enough to finally ask a question that had plagued him since they’d met.

“Hey, Kenma, how come you’re not scared of me like everyone else?”He three the volleyball in the air and sent an easy serve to Kenma, who cleanly received it with a setter’s touch.

“What do you mean?”He replied steadily.

“Well,” Kuroo continued, slightly uncomfortable at being forced to point out his own insecurities.He mirrored Kenma’s motion to set the ball back to him along with an explanation.“Everyone else is scared of me, ya know? I’m tall, have dark hair and scary eyes, and I guess I’m intimidating.”

Kenma’s voice was as nonchalant as ever when he replied.

“You aren’t really that big, compared to adults, and I’m not sure why dark hair would be frightening.I don’t know whether or not your eyes are scary, but even though you are straightforward, I have never sensed truly bad intentions from you.”

Kenma’s voice was as nonchalant as ever when he replied, but Kuroo couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.He couldn’t shake the sense that Kenma was still scared, even if the source of his fear wasn’t Kuroo.

Why?

Because for the first time in months, Kenma clumsily missed an easy toss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all liked it! Would love to hear your feedback!


	3. 6th Grade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In 6th grade, Kuroo found Kenma surrounded by a group of snickering guys from Kenma’s class.

In 6th grade, Kuroo found Kenma surrounded by a group of snickering guys from Kenma’s class.“Robot,” they called him, and “alien,” while Kenma simply kept quiet and picked at his fingernails while looking at the ground.The group jeered about how he was just proving them right.It wasn’t until, just as Kuroo was about to intervene peacefully, one of them raised a fist that Kenma flinched even the slightest bit.And then all peaceful bets were off, and Kuroo launched himself at the guy, fists flying.He told Kenma to run, and was only half surprised when he actually did.He didn’t mind; it wasn’t like Kenma would be much help anyway.It was four against one, and though Kuroo’s lip was bleeding and one of his eyes was black, he came away victorious.Then he set about finding Kenma, which would have been a hopeless cause except that the other boy called out for him.

“Kenma, are you alright?”Kuroo asked, finding him with his back against a wall, eyes wide and shaking, with his knees curled into his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs.Kuroo crouched down to meet his eyes.

“Yes.”Kenma’s voice was the same as always, but Kuroo already knew that wasn’t a valid indicator of Kenma’s wellbeing.He started inspecting his friend’s skin, searching for any signs that he’d been harmed before Kuroo had arrived.He was so focused that he didn’t even notice that Kenma was speaking.

“-uro.Kuroo?”Kenma had called his name three times before he heard him.

“Yeah, sorry, Kenma, what’s up?”

“Are _you_ okay, Kuro?”It was the first time Kuroo had heard any emotion in the boy’s voice.A slight waver of concern.Kuroo smiled.

“Yeah, I’m fine, Kenma!Don’t worry about me,” Kuroo stated with a thumbs up.

“You should go home,” Kenma said.“You have to get cleaned up.”

“I’m alright, I promise.I’ll bring you home fir-“

“No.Kuroo, go home.”

Kuroo was surprised.He’d never heard such force in Kenma’s voice before.“Hey, Kenma, you’re going to go home, too, right?”

Kenma looked at Kuroo, and nodded.

“You’re going home right now?”Kuroo asked just to be sure.

Kenma shook his head.Kuroo took note of an instinctual pang of concern in his chest.Then he smiled.

“Come over to my house first, then?”He stood up, waiting more anxiously for the other’s response than he thought was warranted.

“Okay.”

As they walked to Kuroo’s house, Kenma’s shaking died down quickly.

“Kenma, are you sure you’re okay?You’re not a robot or an alien.”

“Well, thanks for that little piece of enlightenment.I’m fine, Kuro, leave me alone.”His words sounded angry, but Kuroo thought he was just tired.But something really bothered him.

“But why didn’t you fight back?”The words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to overthink them.Kenma shrugged, and Kuroo felt an angry fire rise to his face.

“Kenma, do you even care-“

“Kuroo.”Kuroo couldn’t put his finger on why - technically Kenma’s voice sounded the same as always - but a chill ran up his spine as Kenma spoke.“Forget it.”

Kuroo stopped for a moment and Kenma kept walking.He wondered if Kenma wanted to forget about it, or something else, or both.He grinned.He knew of a good way to forget things.He jogged a bit to catch up.

“Hey, Kenma, have you ever played a video game?”

It wasn’t until they were playing that Kuroo noticed that Kenma’s fingernails were torn to shreds, but he knew better than to ask about it.For Christmas, he got Kenma a worry stone after asking his father suggested that it might help.

“Kuroo.”

“Kenma?”

“You got me a rock.”

“I…”

“You got me a rock.”

“Yes.”

“…”

“Look, it’s supposed to help so that you don’t chew up your fingernails, okay?”

“What.”

“Like, when you get nervous-“

“I don’t get nervous.”

“Okay, when you don’t want to look people in the eye-“

“I don’t avoid eye contact.”

“You just stopped doing it with me.Whatever.Kenma, my point is,” Kuroo pointed to Kenma’s fingers.“Something’s making you hurt yourself.Next time you feel like ripping your nails off, you play with this rock instead.Please.”

“…Okay, Kuro.”

“Thanks.Hey, did ya get me anything?”He smiled to let Kenma know he wasn’t expecting anything.

“If you want, you can have this rock that I found.”Kenma deadpanned.Kuroo laughed.

“No, you keep that, and stop hurting yourself, and that can be my present.”

Kenma rolled his eyes, but did as Kuroo said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked this one! Sorry I skimped on the dialogue descriptions at the end, guess I was getting tired and lazy. Oops. Hope it's still alright and as adorable as I imagine it to be!


	4. 7th Grade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In 7th grade, Kuroo and Kenma were finally able to play on the school volleyball team together. Kuroo and Kenma usually walked part of the way home together, but Kenma was being forced to run extra laps after practice nearly every day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby Kenma I am so sorry for this. I'm glad you have Kuroo to look out for you.

In 7th grade, Kuroo and Kenma were finally able to play on the school volleyball team together.Kuroo and Kenma usually walked part of the way home together, but Kenma was being forced to run extra laps after practice nearly every day.

“Kuro, you can go home ahead,” Kenma said, eventually.

“I’ll wait,” Kuroo replied stubbornly.

“Kuro, please.There’s no point in staying.”Since Kenma was as stubborn as Kuroo, he agreed, but simply sat outside the gym to wait so he wouldn’t have to deal with Kenma’s protests.Kenma needed to get started on his laps, anyway.

Kuroo sighed.Kenma had seemed even more withdrawn than usual recently, and he couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened.And he had to wonder why the third years were so hard on Kenma.He understood that Kenma’s stoic commentary on their weaknesses was seen as rude, but Kenma had given up on trying to help them improve about a week ago.He had asked Kenma, but the other boy always just shrugged.It was all Kuroo could do to contain his anger at the injustice, but he could hardly confront his senpais without understanding the reasoning behind their actions.

He was snapped out of his reverie by the sound of harsh retching, and stood to pop his head in to see Kenma shaking on his hands and knees.“Kenma…” He whispered.He wanted to storm in and take Kenma away, but he remembered Kenma’s words, telling him to go home.He didn’t want to agitate him further.And many of the boys had gotten sick during training.He would just wait for Kenma to be allowed to leave, which, considering his exhaustion, should be soon.

But Kenma wasn’t allowed to leave.The third years yelled at him viciously for puking on the floor and forced him to continue running.Kuroo had had enough.He burst into the gym just in time to see Kenma getting sick - this time hunched over the trash can - again.He was shaking like a leaf.“Kuro…”He rasped.

“Kenma, we’re leaving.”

“Kuro…”Kuroo winced at the rawness of Kenma’s voice.

“Hang on!”One of the third years shouted.It was someone Kuroo had looked up to his first year and had grown close to, but that didn’t matter anymore.“He isn’t done-“

“What the fuck do you mean he isn’t done!He’s gotten sick twice already- what are you guys trying to do to him?”

“Chill out, Kuroo,” the third year said.“We’re trying to… Straighten him out.”

“What do you mean,” Kuroo deadpanned.

“Kuro, please, let’s just-“

“Hey, Kuroo, you know how this guys refuses to change in front of the team?He’s not being a team player.”

“So what if he-“

“And he has never had a crush on a girl,” the older boy continued, looking at Kuroo as if that statement should explain they’re treatment of Kenma.Kuroo stepped closer to the smaller boy.“Don’t you get it?He’s not normal.”

“Are you saying he’s gay?”Kuroo said, disbelievingly.Not because he couldn’t believe Kenma was gay, but because he couldn’t believe that it would matter.Kenma flinched, and Kuroo gave him an apologetic smile, because that had come out wrong, but Kenma wasn’t paying attention.He was picking at his nails.Kuroo made an internal note to talk to Kenma about that later.

“Yeah, the little fa-“

“Who the fuck even cares?”Kuroo was full-on shouting now.

“Kuroo,” Kenma said.“It’s oka-“

“No, no, no, this isn’t okay at all.Fuck.Kenma, let’s get out of here.”

As soon as they were out of the gym, Kenma doubled over and dry heaved.

“Geez, Kenma, this is awful.Fuck.Here, sit down,” he paced frantically, hating for the first time that Kenma didn’t like to be touched, because he couldn’t comfort him.Then he felt a cold hand on his wrist, and he froze.

“Kuro-“Kenma was breathing heavily.“Kuro, I’m not.”

“You’re not?”

“Not gay,” he choked out.“Promise.”

Kuroo was taken aback.“Kenma, that’s-“

“I’m not lying,” Kenma gasped, sounding more desperate than Kuroo had ever heard him.

“I know, kid.I believe you.That’s not important anyway, alright?Just calm down for now.”

Kenma’s grip on his hand tightened, and after a few minutes, his breathing evened out.He got up to walk home,and Kuroo followed him in silence.

“I’m going to quit the volleyball team,” Kenma said suddenly.Kuroo wanted to refute him, but he couldn’t blame him.“It’s no fun if I can’t even help.It’s frustrating to see exactly what’s wrong, but not be allowed to help.”

“Kenma, that shouldn’t be the issue-“

“It’s not fun.”

“Okay.If you quit, I will, too.But I want to play, so I’m going to try and do something about the third years so that it will be fun for you again.”

Kenma stared at him.“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I’ll wait a month.”

Kuroo grinned.

“But Kuro.”

“What’s up?”

“I’m not gay,” he insisted.

“Kenma, I don’t even care.”

“But I’ve never liked a girl.”

“That’s…” Kuroo thought for a moment.“Kenma, did you know I’m bisexual?”

Kenma’s eyes widened, and he shook his head.Kuroo smiled a distant smile.

“Yeah, sorry, hope that doesn’t weird you out.But I’ve done some research, and there’s a label called asexual.It means you aren’t sexually attracted to anyone.And aromantic is where you don’t feel romantic attraction.That’s a real thing.And it’s okay.I don’t mind,” he reassured him quickly.But something sad dropped into his chest.

“Oh.Thanks, Kuro.”

“Don’t worry about it.Hey, did that worry stone not work?”He asked, concerned.

“Wha-“Kuroo looked pointedly at Kenma’s bleeding fingernails.“Oh.Yes. I mean, no, it did work.I lost it.”

Kuroo narrowed his eyes.

“You don’t lose things very often.”

“No.Someone took it, and I don’t know where they put it.I’m sorry, Kuro.”

“Hey, don’t apologize.Was it the third years?”

Kenma nodded.Kuroo snarled.

By the end of the month, the third years had all quit the volleyball team.Kenma never asked, but he did notice that they all avoided Kuroo in the school hallways.Perhaps Kuroo could be scary sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, basically Kuroo just spends all his time being protective of Kenma. Don't worry, this will change over time. Or maybe, worry more, if you don't want Kuroo hurt. Sorry ='(
> 
> Hope you liked this chapter!


End file.
